The embodiments herein relate generally to the insulation and prevention of air transmission of electrical junction boxes.
Electrical junction boxes provide electrical fixtures such as switches, electrical outlets, computer outlets, television and internet cable outlets, telephone outlets, and the like, throughout a building. These electrical junction boxes generally comprise a housing coupled to a stud and at least one opening to receive one or more wires/conduits that are connected to the electrical fixture. The opening of the junction box's housing is aligned with an opening in the front wall to expose at least one electrical fixture to the occupants of the building.
The International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) requires electrical junction boxes coupled to walls in buildings to be air tight. This insulation of electrical junction boxes helps to minimize air leaks through gaps between the stud, junction box and/or walls. Sealing these gaps through insulation minimizes the loss of heating or cooling air from the building's interior and prevents the transmission of noise through the walls from one room to another room.
Several electrical junction box insulating devices and outer boxes exist as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,757,158, 5,834,692 and 6,874,295. However, these devices and boxes have several limitations: 1) They require a difficult installation where the user has to remove portions of the device to create openings to permit wires coupled to the junction box to pass through; and/or 2) After the installation, voids remain present between the device and the electrical junction box. As a result, these devices and boxes are a burden to use and/or limited in their effectiveness in creating a complete seal in the surrounding area to improve insulation of the electrical junction box.
As such, there is a need in the industry for an electrical junction box shell apparatus that addresses the limitations of the prior art, which is easy to install and more effective in insulating the electrical junction box.